When and why did you develop an interest in riding a motorcycle? I’d never taken much interest in motorcycles until I was working part time (whilst still at school) at my local petrol station which was just off the A2 in Kent roundabout 1971/2. I’d only been working there a few weekends and one day a guy came into fill up on a brand spanking new Honda CB750 – which had only (then) been recently released by Honda – and I knew then that I had to get into biking to own one of these superbikes one day.
How old were you when you first rode a bike? I was 16 when I got my first bike which was a Honda 50 step-through with the automatic clutch and 3-speed gearbox. My first experience of riding it was letting first gear up gently whilst I put the revs up and the bike doing a wheelie!
Of the bikes you’ve ever owned which was your favourite if you had one? Hard to pick out one. Absolutely loved my Suzuki GT750A “Water Buffalo”, the first of my big cc machines, which I purchased new in October 1975 for about £950 and kept for about 12 years. Latterly, I just love riding my 2019 BMW R1250GS which I’ve owned since it was 15 months old and really getting out on at every opportunity I can get.
If you were given the opportunity to own any bike on the market which would it be? Laverda Jota 1000 from the 70’s. Followed by the Kawasaki Z900.
What is your favourite motorcycle gadget? OMG, anyone who knows me knows that apart from being OCD I have an inherent love of gadgets! My latest is the INNOVV third eye which I fitted last year and “warns” you of vehicles about to overtake – probably one of the better gadgets I’ve fitted and gives an extra layer of “knowledge” to your surroundings, especially around town where traffic conditions can rapidly change. Other gadgets include the Cool Cover I’ve fitted to my seat (and they do work in summer to keep you cooler) and my Keis heated vest for winter riding.
Where is your preferred place to ride in the UK? I particularly love riding down in Wales and the West Country (Devon, Cornwall), especially around the moors. Some great roads and scenery.
And Abroad? I loved riding the Swiss Alps a few years ago, but my absolute favourite has to be riding the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) in Ireland. I’ve now done the complete circuit of the WAW over 3 trips and ridden some absolutely blinding roads, seen some fantastic scenery and met some really friendly people. It’s a wonderful wonderful playground and I’ll probably do it all over again sometime in the future. But first I’d like to ride the Yukon way up into Alaska, and also ride the length of the Rhine in Europe.
If you were offered the opportunity to go on an extended bike tour, who family members aside who would you choose as a riding companion? That would have to be my mate Paul, whom I’ve been away on all my trips with (and who is also an EAMG Full Member). Great fun to ride with, we’ve ridden some great roads together and had some good laughs along the way.
How would you describe to a non-rider the attraction of riding a bike as opposed to driving a car? The friendship of bikers in general – no matter what size bike or how long they have been riding, you can always have a good natter with other bikers who you may never have met before as well as enjoying the thrill of riding the open road and often being able to go places where cars may not be able.
When do you intend to give up riding? Good question. I’m taking it year by year at the moment as I have had 3 discs replaced in my neck and have 4 degenerating discs in my lower back which make it uncomfortable to ride at times. I’ll ride until my body (or my doctor) tells me “No more Dave” (or maybe the wife!!)
Describe your scariest moment on your bike: Being rear-ended into a 6’ deep ditch a couple of years back when leading a ride out in the country and ending up with my GS on top of me. Fortunately I managed to crawl out from under it with the minimum of injury, but it shook my confidence big time about other motorists following me too closely and/or riding next to deep ditches for some time. On the positive side though, it’s what led me to join EAMG as I felt that doing my RoSPA test would be of benefit – and I was right!
